Ezekiel 43:13 · measurement explained
Long-cubit altar measurements and a one-span rim
The altar dimensions reopen by restating that the cubit is a cubit and a handbreadth, then naming a span at the boundary.
Read the verse first
“These are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit is a cubit and a hand width): the bottom shall be a cubit, and the width a cubit, and its border around its edge a span; and this shall be the base of the altar.
World English Bible · engwebp-source-2026-09-12
Modern measurement range
One long cubit standard
51.8–52.5 cm
1.7–1.72 ft
Using the long cubit estimate. Use this setting only where the text signals the longer architectural standard.
Calculate another amount →Rim: one span
22–22.5 cm
8.66–8.86 in
Using the span estimate. The range surrounds the commonly cited 22 cm or 8.75–9 inch estimate and remains approximate.
Calculate another amount →Keeping long cubit and span separate follows the text rather than flattening every body-based measure into one generic cubit.
What this conversion does—and does not—show
It gives a defensible modern scale for the amount stated in the verse. Ancient standards varied by time and place, so the endpoints are deliberately approximate. A volume is not a food mass, a metal weight is not a modern cash value, and a conversion does not settle a textual, archaeological, or theological debate.
Conversion references: ESV weights and measures ↗, American Bible Society ↗, and Encyclopedia of the Bible ↗. Reference pages accessed October 10, 2026.